Approved by: Chest Drains Gail Cameron Director, Maternal, Neonatal & Child Health Programs Neonatal Nursery Policy & Procedures Manual : April 2013 Next Review April 2016 Dr. Ensenat Medical Director, Neonatology Dr. Peliowski Medical Director, Neonatology Purpose Applicability Policy Statement To provide guidelines for drainage of air or fluid from the pleural space and ongoing care of any indwelling device. All Covenant Health Intermediate Care Nursery staff. Drainage of air and fluid from the pleural space is often needed to maintain adequate lung function. Intrapleural aspiration is undertaken to drain air (pneumothorax) in situations of cardiovascular compromise pending chest tube insertion or to remove fluid accumulations in the thorax. Chest tubes are used for longer term drainage. Positioning of the infant and the location of the procedure will be determined by the type of drainage expected. Needle Aspiration Equipment #16, 18 or 20 gauge over-the-needle catheter Three-way stopcock 10 ml and 20 ml syringes Minibore extension tubing (not microbore) Skin antiseptic Procedure ACTION RATIONALE 1. Consult with the person who will perform the aspiration regarding the need for patient analgesia. 2. Confirm correct site by reviewing CXR with practitioner who will insert catheter unless insertion is prompted by clinical signs or transillumination. Correct site procedure to minimize errors associated with laterality. 3. Perform hand hygiene and assemble required equipment. Attach syringe to female end of a stopcock and extension tubing to the male end. The other end of the extension tubing is attached to the over-the-needle catheter after it is inserted and the introducer is removed. 4. Position the infant supine. Gravity positions air anterior and fluid posterior in the chest when supine. 5. Ensure continuous heart rate and saturation monitoring. Monitor beneficial or deleterious effects of the procedure.
Page 2 of 6 6. Restrain infant s limbs. 7. A person certified to perform the procedure does so. Ensure that the volume of air/fluid removed is recorded. 8. Restrain infant until procedure is completed. 9. Prepare for chest tube insertion and underwater seal drainage if necessary. Documentation The procedure should be documented on the patient s chart. The name of the individual who completed the procedure, the number of attempts at the procedure, the infant s response, the size of catheter used and the volume of air/fluid removed should be included. Chest Tube Insertion Assisting Equipment Cutdown tray #3 silk suture #10 or 12 chest tube Scalpel blade Skin antiseptic Sterile gown and gloves Masks and hair covers Analgesia 1 ml syringe #25 gauge needle 1% Xylocaine without epinephrine Mepilex Border Lite Dressing UNDERWATER SEAL DRAINAGE Underwater seal device (Atrium chest drain) Medical suction set 2 Kelly forceps with plastic protectors Non-conductive connecting tube Waterproof tape Procedure ACTION RATIONALE 1. Confirm correct site by reviewing CXR with practitioner who will insert chest tube unless insertion prompted by clinical signs or transillumination. 2. Monitor heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation. 3. Draw drapes around patient area. Mask, don cap and perform hand hygiene. Assemble sterile field using aseptic technique. Add skin astiseptic, chest tube, scalpel, syringe and needle to tray. Correct site procedure to minimize errors associated with laterality. Severe cardio-respiratory compromise may occur with conditions requiring chest tube insertion and the insertion procedure itself. This is a semi-surgical procedure requiring aseptic technique.
Page 3 of 6 Open sterile gown and gloves for practitioner inserting chest tube. 4. Administer analgesia as ordered. Insertion is a very painful experience. 5. One person restrains the infant while the practitioner inserting the chest tube cleanses the site with antiseptic, drapes the entire patient, injects local anesthetic, inserts the chest tube, and inserts the connector from the underwater seal system s tubing into the chest tube. 6. Once insertion is complete the underwater seal system is prepared: Fill water seal to 2cm line with sterile water provided. Add sterile water via the suction port located on top of the drain. Attach connective tubing from suction port on top of chest drain to medical suction regulator. Suction regulator should be set at a starting pressure of -10cm H 2 O and adjusted as ordered. Turn medical suction on and increase to 80mmHg.The orange suction bellows should expand but may not expand to the mark for settings less than 20cm H 2 O. 7. Observe the water seal chamber for air bubbles coming through the water seal. 8. When the chest tube is placed, it may be sutured in place. A tape bridge may also be used to provide additional security of the chest tube. Suction should be attached to the chest tube as soon as possible to speed removal of the intrapleural air/fluid. Ensure the chest drain is connected to the patient prior to initiating suction. Excessive suction may draw tissue into the side holes of the chest tube. Placement of the chest tube is initially guided by the presence of air bubbles in the water seal chamber, indicating drainage of intrapleural air. When the air is resolved, bubbling will cease. Even without air bubbles the fluid within the chest tube or water seal chamber should fluctuate indicating that the chest tube is patent. A tape bridge may be preferred over a clear adhesive dressing as chest tubes tend to function optimally when allowed to exit from the skin at as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Waterproof tape is used to prevent breaks in suction and disconnection at joint points.
Page 4 of 6 The site is covered with a soft silicone dressing and all connections are secured with waterproof tape. 9. Tubing is secured to the bed by placing tape around the tubing and pinning the tape to the bed. The chest drain must always be placed below the patient s chest in an upright position. Prevent tubing kinks. Tension on the chest tube may dislodge it. The air and/or fluid will not drain from the chest tube if it is kinked or obstructed. 10. A CXR is taken to confirm tube position. Intrapleural air may collect in a position where it cannot be drained by the tube and the position may need to be adjusted. Continuous, vigorous bubbling in the water seal chamber, with failure of pneumothorax resolution, may indicate perforation of the lung Documentation The procedure should be documented on the patient s chart. The name of the individual who completed the procedure, the number of attempts at the procedure, the infant s response, the size of chest tube used and the level of suction pressure should be included. Chest Tube Care Kelly forceps (2 per chest tube) with plastic tip protectors are kept at the bedside in case the chest tube needs to be clamped. Chest tubes are not clamped for more than a minute unless there is an order because clamping may result in an accumulation of air and/or fluid. Observe the drainage collection chamber hourly for quantity and record volume. Consistent drainage greater than 2 ml/kg/hour is excessive unless chylous drainage. Observe the water seal chamber for bubbles which indicates air evacuation. Reposition the baby routinely to mobilize localized collections or air and fluid. When transporting an infant with a chest drain, disconnect the suction tubing of the underwater seal system from the medical suction. The underwater seal prevents air from entering the chest through the tube, but air may accumulate in the pleural space once suction is removed because babies may not generate enough pressure to overcome the pressure in the seal system. Be prepared to attach the chest tube to a syringe and a 3-way stopcock after clamping the chest tube and detaching the underwater system. Always keep the underwater seal collection system upright and below the level of the patient so that air and/or fluid do not enter the intrapleural space. If the chest tube becomes dislodged, the charge nurse and physician or neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) and respiratory therapist are notified AND a. If the patient is not ventilated, cover the chest tube insertion site with an air occlusive dressing. b. If the patient is ventilated, leave the site uncovered
Page 5 of 6 Chest Tube Removal Assisting Equipment Sterile suture scissors and tweezers set 2X2 gauze Occlusive dressing Analgesia/anesthetic Procedure ACTION RATIONALE 1. Perform hand hygiene. 2. Gather equipment and prepare dressing. 3. Clamp chest tube. Discontinue suction. Suction is stopped to reduce tissue damage. 4. Administer analgesic as ordered. Removal of a chest tube is very painful. 5. Assist physician/nnp who removes chest tube. An occlusive dressing is applied to the site. An occlusive dressing is used to prevent air from entering through the chest tube opening. 6. Determine if CXR is needed after tube removal. 7. The dressing is removed in 24 hours. The suture is removed when the skin is healed together after an order from the physician/nnp Documentation The procedure should be documented on the patient s chart. The name of the individual who completed the procedure and the infant s response should be included. Related Documents References Adapted with permission from Stollery Children s Policy and Procedure Manual: http://www.intranet2.capitalhealth.ca/nicu/pages/policiesprocedures/policiesprocedures_new.htm Chest Drains, August 2012 MacDonald, MG, Ramasethu, J, & Rais-Bahrami, K. (2012). Thoracostomy In: MG MacDonald, J Ramasethu and K Rais-Bahrami (Eds). Atlas of Procedures in Neonatology (5 th ed. pp. 255-272). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Revisions April 2002
Page 6 of 6 Signing Original Signed GAIL CAMERON DIRECTOR MATERNAL, NEONATAL & CHILD HEALTH PROGRAMS COVENANT HEALTH GREY NUNS & MISERCORDIA HOSPITALS Original Signed DR. SANTIAGO ENSENAT MEDICAL DIRECTOR NEONATAL PROGRAM COVENANT HEALTH GREY NUNS HOSPITAL Original Signed DR. ABRHAM PELIOWSKI MEDICAL DIRECTOR NEONATAL PROGRAM COVENANT HEALTH MISERICORDIA HOSPITAL April 15, 2013 DATE April 16, 2013 DATE June 10, 2013 DATE